Security Forces Command
The Security Forces Command (Turkish: Güvenlik Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı, GKK) is the military and security force of the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It is a 15,000 strong force primarily made up of conscripted Turkish Cypriot males between the ages of 18 and 40. It is a combined arms force, with land, air and naval arms, plus police and fire elements. This force is supplemented by the 17,500–30,000 strong Turkish military forces in Northern Cyprus stationed on the island.
| Security Forces Command | |
|---|---|
| Güvenlik Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı | |
.jpg) | |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Service branches | |
| Headquarters | Boğaz, Girne |
| Website | www.mucahit.gov.ct.tr |
| Leadership | |
| Commander | Major Gen. İlker Görgülü |
| Personnel | |
| Military age | 18 |
| Conscription | 8 to 15 months |
| Active personnel | 15,000 |
| Reserve personnel | 7,000 |
| Industry | |
| Foreign suppliers |  Turkey |
| Related articles | |
| History | Turkish Resistance Organisation (TMT) |
The Security Forces Command (Turkish: Güvenlik Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı, GKK)[1] is the military and security force of the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
It is a 15,000 strong force primarily made up of conscripted Turkish Cypriot males between the ages of 18 and 40. It is a combined arms force, with land, air and naval arms, plus police and fire elements.
This force is supplemented by the 17,500–30,000 strong Turkish military forces in Northern Cyprus stationed on the island.[2][3]
History
[edit]The Republic of Cyprus' constitution provided for a bi-communal army (i.e. Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot) on a 60/40 per cent basis. The Cyprus army composed by both main Cypriot ethnic groups was created in 1960 yet was dismantled in the scope of the interethnic conflict 1963-4.[4] Since then, both communities have maintained their independent armed forces. Even before independence, the Turkish Cypriot community (and similarly the Greek Cypriot community) maintained its own paramilitary force (the Türk Mukavemet Teşkilatı or TMT), trained and equipped by the Turkish Army (ibid). In 1967 this force was renamed the Mücahit ("Mujahideen"), and in 1975 the Mücahit was renamed the Turkish Cypriot Security Force.[5] In 1974, Turkey led an invasion of Cyprus with the aim of protecting the Turkish minority population after a Greek-inspired coup brought a threat of union of the island with Greece. Since then there have been no major fighting in Cyprus and the island continues to be divided.
On March 9, 2026, following the escalation of the 2026 Iran war, Turkey deployed six F-16 fighter jets, air defence systems to northern Cyprus.[6]
Organization
[edit]The Turkish Cypriot Security Force is under the command of an officer of the Turkish Army. The officer is appointed by the Turkish Armed Forces and holds the rank of major general, whereas the head of the Turkish military forces in Northern Cyprus holds a higher rank as lieutenant general.[5][7]
It includes 4 Infantry Regiments and the Coast Guard Command, two of which are expedition and the other two are (ready). In addition, the TRNC Police Organization is included in the Security Forces. The organization is as follows:
- 1st Infantry Regiment - Hazir (ready)
- 2nd Infantry Regiment - Seferi (mobile)
- 3rd Infantry Regiment - Seferi (mobile)
- 4th Infantry Regiment - Hazir (ready)
- Aviation Unit Command
- TRNC Coast Guard Command
- Directorate General for Police, includes the Fire and Rescue Service [8]
- Special Task Force Command[9]
- Logistics Support Command
- UAV command in Geçitkale Air Base[10]
According to observers a large part of its budget was covered by the Turkish army, upon which it depended for training and equipment. It is also believed that the majority of its officers came from the ranks of the Turkish Army officer corps on temporary leave from their regular duties and its operations were controlled by the Turkish army.[5]
Strength
[edit]
As of 2009, the strength of this force was believed to be about 9,000. It was organized into fifteen battalions in two brigades, infantry battalions armed with light weapons plus some artillery units equipped with mortars.[5]
Turkish Cyprus's Coast Guard has 36 vessels.[11] Coast Guard operates: KKTC SG 01 (Class: Turk type 80; construction:1997-2000; active since:2000)[12]
In March, 2023, Turkish Cyprus's Coast Guard started to operate TRNC SG-110 (BOĞAZ), TRNC SG-111 (LEFKE) and TRNC SG-112 (SERDARLI) modern assault boats.[13]
Military ranks of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
[edit]Due to its close ties to Turkey, Northern Cyprus shares a rank structure similar to that of Turkey.[14]
Commissioned officer ranks
[edit]The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Northern CypriotSecurity Forces Command |
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| Tümgeneral | Tuğgeneral | Albay | Yarbay | Binbaşı | Yüzbaşı | Üsteğmen | Teğmen | Asteğmen | ||||||||||||||||
Other ranks
[edit]The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Cypriot Security Forces Command |
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No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Astsubay kıdemli baş çavuş | Astsubay baş çavuş | Astsubay kıdemli üst çavuş | Astsubay üst çavuş | Astsubay kıdemli çavuş | Astsubay çavuş | Çavuş | Onbaşı | Erler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Compulsory military service
[edit]According to the TRNC Constitution, every male citizen has a military service obligation. The recruitment age is 18 years.
Military service periods:
- 15 months in private equilibrium
- 12 months in reserve officer equivalent
- Reserve officer, sergeant equivalent 12 months
- 8 months in short term equilibrium
- It is 1 month provided that it fulfills its special status (paid and / or short term service) obligation.
See also
[edit]- Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Command
- Cypriot National Guard
- Hellenic Force in Cyprus
- Directorate General for Police
References
[edit]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Country Studies. Federal Research Division.
- Bibliography
- Christopher Hitchens - Cyprus, Hostage to History: From the Ottomans to Kissinger
- Notes
- ^ "Güvenlik Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı". Retrieved 13 May 2014.
- ^ "Library of Congress". Archived from the original on 11 August 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
- ^ Turkey: A Country Study, p.350. Kessinger Publishing, 2004. ISBN 1-4191-9126-8
- ^ Efthymiou S.A. (2019) Nationalism, Militarism and Masculinity After the Construction of the Border. In: Nationalism, Militarism and Masculinity in Post-Conflict Cyprus. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14702-0_2
- ^ a b c d Eric Solsten; Library of Congress. Federal Research Division (1993). Cyprus, a country study. Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. p. 232. ISBN 978-0-8444-0752-4.
Although legally separate from the Turkish Army on the island, the Turkish Cypriot Security Force was believed to remain under the de facto operational control of the Turkish forces. It also depended on Turkey for training and equipment. Most of its officers were regular Turkish Army officers on secondment. Observers believed that many of its expenses were absorbed by the Turkish Army.
- ^ "Turkey deploys six F-16 fighter jets, air defence systems to northern Cyprus". 2026.
- ^ "KTBK Komutanlığı'na Korgeneral İsmail Serdar Savaş, GKK Komutanlığı'na Tüm General Baki Kavun atandı" (in Turkish). Kıbrıs Postası. 5 August 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ "KKTC Polis Genel Müdürlüðü - TRNC Police Headquarters - Araçlar". Archived from the original on 28 March 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
- ^ "Özel Görev Kuvveti Komutanlığı - Güvenlik Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı". www.mucahit.net. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "Türkiye'den KKTC'ye ilk Bayraktar TB2 İHA indi". BaykarSavunma (in Turkish). Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ Ansamed, 04 June 2015 Archived 4 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine Northern Cyprus' Coast Guard
- ^ NTVMSNBC 16.07.2000
- ^ Kibrispostasi, 20 March 2023 The commissioning ceremony of the boats supplied to the Coast Guard Command was held.
- ^ Dyer, Gwynne (1979). "Cyprus". In Keegan, John (ed.). World armies. Sandhurst: Royal Military Academy. p. 162. ISBN 9780871964076. LCCN 79-9217. Retrieved 27 January 2022.